Be Prepared for Hard Times - And Good Times Too
It seems like folks are pretty upset these days about a lot of difficult things going on in our world, and one group even called for the rapture last Saturday. Whether it is gas near $4 a gallon, crazy weather patterns that bring killer tornadoes and hurricanes, or all the unrest in the Arab world, many are worried about how all this is going to impact our lives. One of the many things I love about the Bible is that it is very honest; it does not sugar coat things with spiritual wishful thinking. Job said it well, “How frail is humanity! How short is life, and how full of trouble² (Job 14:1). I used to think that life was like a roller coaster, sometimes up and sometimes down. As one person said you are either just coming out of a difficult time, in one now, or headed for one. While life may be a roller coaster, I believe the ancient Hebrew understanding that life contains both ups and downs at the same time is a better analogy. There are great joys and blessings in the midst of trials and difficulties. Rick Warren uses the illustration of railroad tracks. One rail represents the difficulties and pain of life, while the other represents the blessings and joys. If you focus just on the negative crisis rail you will panic and end up depressed. If you are in denial and act as if the negative rail does not exist, you are living in a fantasyland, detached from and unprepared for reality. In the 23rd Psalm, David says that God allows him to ³walk through the through the valley of the shadow of death.² Note that God did not take him out of the valley or keep him from that difficult place but promised to walk with him through the valley. Whether it is high gas prices, a health crisis, or a family calamity, remember that God promises his children he will never leave them or forsake them. We are not to put our heads in the sand or panic at the latest misfortune. Please rest in the assurance that you will survive the current high gas prices. While it may cause hardship, you will live. Europe has had $6-7 a gallon gas for a long time. Don¹t fall into the panic that some have given themselves over to. For those who are believers, he calls us to an even higher standard. God says that we should not even be worried about it, even though it will impact our standard of living. ³Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus² (Philippians 4:6-7). This is one of the most challenging assignments God gives us but imagine how different our lives would be if we truly were not anxious about anything. What freedom, joy, and peace we would experience in good times and bad! I have not arrived yet at this level of spiritual maturity, but I¹m working on it. It is my tendency to be anxious about events that will be painful. But if we will allow him, God will use our trials and pain to build perseverance and patience into our lives, making us more and more like Christ. Take a moment and present your requests and fears to the Lord. Allow him to fill you with his peace, which truly does transcend all understanding.
